Sweet Child Of Mine
by cruez2788
Summary: This is the story of Jane and Maura's friendship from childhood to adulthood as seen through the eyes of their mothers, Angela Rizzoli and Constance Isles.
1. Chapter 1

A/N- The idea for this story has been bugging me for awhile until I finally decided to run with it. I am not sure how long this story will be but I have a very basic idea of where I am going to take it. I have no real direction when I write each chapter it just seems to form itself. I do know this will follow our ladies into adulthood. I hope i have produced something that was worth my effort and of course your time. Without further ado i give you the first chapter!

Second Grade

"Honey what happened?! Angela exclaims as she rushes to her daughter from the kitchen. Jane drags her backpack into the living room. Her hair is wild but that was nothing new to Angela. However, the blood on her seven year old daughter's shirt was.

"I got into a fight." Jane responded as a matter of fact. Frankie and Tommy trudge in the door sans blood but with ample grass and dirt stains. Jane is fiercely protective of her younger brother's and considering the state of her boys things were starting to make sense. Angela gave Jane a once over and realized the blood on her shirt was not Jane's and sent her daughter upstairs to clean up and change. Other than a few grass stains and some dirt Frankie and Tommy seemed to be fine. Angela was assured of this when they both asked for a snack. She left the boys to eat their snacks and headed up the stairs to Jane's room. She finds Jane sitting on her bed in her favorite Boston Red Socks jersey, a prized possession from her father. Her hands and face were washed but she found her little girl staring at her hands.

"Janie?" The little brown haired girl did not look away from her hands.

"Yeah Ma." Angela sits next to Jane on her bed.

"Did you get into a fight with a kid at school again?" Jane nods her little head still not looking at her mother.

"Which one of your brothers were you defending?' It is now that Jane's little face looks up to Angela.

"I wasn't defending Frankie or Tommy." Jane rolls her eyes a little at how many times she has defended her little brother's from being picked on. "Joey Grant was picking on the new girl. I called him dumb and told him to leave her alone. He laughed at me and was going to push her so I punched him." Jane said confidently as she looked at the blood on her shirt. Angela wanted to admonish her young daughter for her behavior but she couldn't when she knew she had been defending another child. Angela was starting to see that her only daughter was a born protector. She was her little warrior.

"Next time what are you going to do?" Angela asked and Jane huffed.

"Find an adult." Jane replied.

"Right." Angela nodded.

"But I had no time Ma! He was going to push her. I couldn't let him." Jane was getting upset in all her seven year old fury that someone should hurt her new friend.

"I know baby but you can't go through life punching people. Next time try and get an adult." Jane huffs again and nods her head.

"Okay Ma."

"Thank you baby. Now hand over the shirt so I can get the blood out." Jane hands over her damaged battle appeal. "If I remember correctly there is an ice cream sandwich with your name on it in the freezer." Jane smiles wide revealing the gap from a missing tooth. She gives her mom a quick kiss on the check and flies out of the room.

"If any of you knuckleheads eat my ice cream I'll sit on your head!" Angela shakes her head. She can't help but smile that is her baby girl.

Constance is applying makeup when she sees her daughter. She doesn't take her eyes off the mirror when she speaks to the little girl.

"How was your first day at the new school?"

"It was wonderful mother." She wasn't lying. Despite the incident with the mean boy she had made a friend and that made it wonderful.

"That's great dear." Constance checks her appearance in the mirror once more before turning to Maura.

"I made a friend." Maura says hopeful that this will draw her mother into asking more about her day. She is disappointed.

"I am happy for you dear." Constance reaches out and runs her hand down the perfect hair of her six year old. Maura relishes the touch of her mother. "Your father and I have an event tonight that we must attend." Her hand falls from her child's hair and Maura deflates a little but does not it let it show for long. "Oliver will have dinner ready for you and Julia will help you get ready for bed tonight. We will see you in the morning before school." Maura nods dutifully and watches her mother check her makeup once more. She blows Maura a quick kiss before she is out the door.

Maura is used to seeing her parents for a few minutes a day and sometimes even less than that. Maura walks up to her vanity and presses her face into a jacket placed neatly on the chair. It smells of her mother's perfume. She allows herself a few seconds to take in her mother's scent before she collects herself and starts through the large house in search of Oliver the butler and Julia her nanny.

Angela Rizzoli sees Maura Isles for the first time the very next day. She decided to pick up Jane and the boys the next day in hopes of spotting the little girl her daughter fought so fiercely for the day before. She notices her almost immediately. The contrast between her daughter and the girl standing next to her makes it easy to spot the pair among the crowd of children. Her daughter is easily four inches taller and while Jane's hair is dark and wild the little girl next to her is the picture of perfect hair and clothes, Angela can barely get Jane to tie her shoes. It is no surprise to her that when she looks at her daughter's shoes she fines them untied. What does surprise her is when the smaller girl points to Jane's shoes seconds later. She cannot hear their conversation but can see the frustration on the younger girl's face and the annoyance on her daughter's. To Angela's amazement after about a minute of conversation Jane relents and stoops down to tie her shoes.

A large black car pulls up to the two girls just as Jane finishes tying her shoes. A man whom Angela assumes is the girl's father gets out and opens the door. Jane exchanges a few words with her friend. Angela eyes widen when Jane leans into hug the girl. The smaller girl hugs her back and gets into the car. Jane waves until the car is no longer visible. Once the car is out of sight Jane whistles loudly .Angela cringes. She will never forgive Frank for teaching her how to whistle like that. Frankie and Tommy come running from the playground at the whistle. Angela honks the horn and all three of her children come running full speed to the car.

She introduced to Maura Isles the very day. Angela pulls up in front of the school as the kids let out. Jane is yelling at Frankie and Tommy that have taken up a game of arm punching. Angela notices that when the little blonde puts her hand on her daughters shoulder she seems to huff but stops yelling at her rambunctious brothers. Angela finds the affect that the smaller girl has on her daughter fascinating. Jane spots the car and waves her brothers to the car. Angela rolls the window down as the girls approach the car the boys already clibming into the back.

"Hi Ma. This is my friend Maura." Jane beams. Maura smiles softly at the older woman.

"Hello Mrs. Rizzoli it is a pleasure to meet you," Angela practically squeals with delight.

"Hello Honey it is nice to meet you to." The same black car from the day before pulls up and Jane walks Maura to the car making sure she is in the car before running back to the front seat of Angela's car a smile from ear to ear.

Constance Isles meets Jane Rizzoli three weeks later. She hears voices coming from her daughter's room which she finds peculiar. As far as Constance is concerned her daughter has never been one to dally in such things as imaginary friends. To her surprise she looks through her daughter's partially open bedroom door and finds her playing with a friend. A young girl with wild brown hair and is everything opposite to what she thought she knew of her daughter. As she watches them play she hears Maura's excited laughter as both girls work to save one of Maura's dolls from the bad guys. That ends a few minutes later when Maura spots her mother watching from the doorway. The laughter dies from her daughter's lips and the childlike enthusiasm stops. She becomes the proper young lady that she has been trained to be from birth. For the first time she sees more to her daughter than a potential heir, one to be groomed as she once was. Instead Constance sees her daughter, a smart, beautiful and capable little girl. Jane stops playing almost instantly when she sees the change in Maura.

"Maur, are you okay?" Maura does not answer her.

When Jane follows Maura's line of sight the taller girl seems to deflate a little. She recovers quickly and a look of defiance comes over the little brunette's face. Constance is startled when she realizes she feels anger towards the child's defiance. She has never met her daughter's friend but somehow she knows what Constance failed to see until now, Maura is worth fighting for. Maura introduces Jane to her mother like she was raised to do. Jane is polite but the look of defiance never leaves her face. She keeps an eye on Maura as if to protect her from Constance and it affects the older woman in a way she had not anticipated. Before she leaves her daughter's room she calls Maura to her. Jane moves a respectable distance from the pair. Even at a young age Constance can see that Jane is intuitive.

"After Jane goes home I would like to speak with you."

"Yes mother." Maura responds. Constance leaves the room and is down the hallway when she hears her daughter's laughter again. It brings a smile to the older woman's face.

She does not speak to Maura until the next day after Jane has left. Constance was unaware that Maura had sleepovers. She enter Maura's room and finds her sitting on her bed, back straight, hands clasped in her lap and legs crossed at the ankle. Constance sits next to her daughter in the same manner. They sit for a few minutes Constance at a loss on how to start the conversation. Maura wants for nothing in a material sense but it has occurred to Constance that she knows nothing else of her daughter's emotional needs.

"Would you like to go to the park?" Constance had not intended to say that. She had intended to have a conversation with her daughter but the look of excitement Maura gives her allows her to go with her unexpected question.

"Yes, mother I would!" Maura smiles brightly and Constance smiles back.

"Get your coat dear and meet me downstairs. I am going speak to Oliver about seeing to hot chocolate for us." Maura steps lightly down from her bed and walks, rather briskly not runs to retrieve her coat.

They spend two hours walking around the park and drinking hot chocolate. Constance knew her child was bright but in those two hours she realizes her daughter maybe gifted. Maura's conversation constantly turns to Jane. Not only does she discover a lot about her daughter but Jane and her family as well. Angela, Jane's mother is an amazing cook. Jane's father is a plumber and teaches not only his children what he knows but Maura as well. Constance was also unaware that Maura had been visiting the Rizzoli house the past few weeks. Jane's brothers Frankie and Tommy are teaching her everything they know about the Boston Red Sox. Jane is the constant beacon in all the stories Maura tells her mother. By the time they get home Constance knows the whole story of her daughter's friendship with Jane including how they became friends. Constance does not voice it to her daughter but she is grateful to Jane for protecting her little girl. She tucks her daughter into bed that night in a Red Sox t-shirt Jane had outgrown. Maura drifts off quickly as Constance strokes her daughter's hair. When she hears her child's even breathing she slips quietly from the room intent on doing some research.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N-First I would like to thank everyone that read the first chapter and for the comments I received! The girls are still in second grade in this chapter. We will probably have one more chapter with them in second grade maybe two before we time jump. Now without further ado chapter 2!

She finds that the Rizzoli family is an average blue collar Italian family. Angela is a stay at home mom of three kids and her husband Frank is the owner of his own plumbing company. There are no scandals in their past. Constance finds nothing to worry about and yet she can't help the curiosity she has about Jane and the family that has made such an impression of her daughter.

Constance is aware of the fact that the Rizzoli family is not someone her family would normally come into contact with. However, Maura had been insistent on going to public school with what she deemed were other normal kids. Constance had offered to send her to a private school or a boarding school but Maura insisted. She finds it amusing now but she had not second guessed her six year old daughter's judgment and had enrolled her in public school.

Under normal circumstances Constance might question trusting the judgment of a six year old but Maura was no ordinary child and she was starting to see that more and more. So, she does not hesitate when she picks up the phone and dials the number to the Rizzoli household. The phone rings three times before a woman picks up the line.

"Hello?"

"Hello my name is Constance Isles. May I please speak to Angela Rizzoli."

"This is her." The woman on the other line sounds slightly confused and even weary, quite possibly both.

Hello, I am the mother of Maura Isles..."

"Oh yes! The wonderful little girl Jane befriended. She is an absolute delight so polite and well mannered." Constance smiles at Angela's enthusiasm.

"Yes I was wondering if perhaps we could meet. Maura does not have many friends and I think it would be beneficial for the children as well."

"Of course!" Angela responds excitedly. "Let's see I am free this afternoon around one" Constance is taken back by Angela's willingness.

"Oh I did not expect it to be so soon." Constance hesitates. "But I can do one today." Constance is shocked again when Angela gives her address instead of meeting somewhere public. She can see where Jane gets the outgoing nature that has captivated her daughter.

Constance arrives at the Rizzoli household on time. It is in a fairly nice part of town. Constance rings the doorbell and the door opens a minute later. Angela Rizzoli is a stunning woman around the same age as Constance. Angela invites her in and as soon as she steps over the threshold Constance is met with warmth and delicious smells. Angela leads her into the kitchen, the source of all the delicious smells. Angela points to a seat at the kitchen counter,

"Would you like something to drink? I have water, about six different types of juices and kool aid due to the kids and about three different types of beer due to the husband. Or if you would prefer I can also bring out the drink of my choice, red wine."

A few minutes later and Constance is holding a glass of red wine. She is unsure of the quality of it but it is the choice that seemed more preferable to her. She inhales the wine's aroma and finds it to her liking. When she takes a sip she nods her approval.

"This wine is delicious." Angela smiles

"Thank you it's from Italy. We have family there with a winery and they send us a fair amount." Angela starts chopping herbs with impressive speed and precision.

"Where did you train?" Constance asks curiously surprised nothing had come up in her research.

"I'm sorry." Angel replies wiping her hands on a towel and taking a sip of wine.

"Your culinary skills did you train in Italy as well?" Angela blushes.

"I've never trained anywhere. Everything I have learned is from years of watching my mother and Nona and then years of putting that knowledge to use but thank you it's quite the compliment." Angela begins to cut vegetable again with speed and skill.

"Impressive." Constance whispers to herself.

Angela invites Constance and Maura to dinner several times over the next hour and a half but Constance politely declines. Although she would like to especially after being surrounded by delicious smell but she has another idea in mind.

When Maura gets home from school that day she is expecting to see Oliver and Julia but when she walks in the door the first face that she sees is that of her mother. Constance can see the uncertainty in her child's face and it hurts but she pushes through.

"Hello dear."

"Hello mother. Is everything okay?"

"Of course it is I just thought we could spend the afternoon together." She watches as her little girl's face lights up. Constance spends the rest of the time listening to how her daughter's day went and all the events that have happened at school up until that point.

They eat dinner together that night and as far as either of them is concerned it is the best meal they have ever had.

Constance makes it a ritual to eat dinner with her daughter at least once a weak. Even Maura's father is able to make an appearance at least once a month much to Maura's delight. It's late October and Constance finds herself rushing home. A meeting had been cut short and she was going to surprise Maura by being home for dinner for the second time that week. When she entered the house she didn't even have enough time to call for Maura before loud noises assault her ears. Oliver rushes forward shocked to see Constance home.

"Hello Mrs. Isles. I did not expect you home so soon."

"Is that why you decided to throw a house party?" Constance flinches when noises seem to increase. Oliver smiles facing away from Constance as he hangs up her coat. When he turns back around the smile is gone and he is back to business. "I was under the impression that you would be gone for most of the night so when miss Isles asked if she could have friends over I didn't see the trouble in saying yes. If you would like I can round the children up and have the car take them home."

"That is quite all right Oliver If you don't mind could you check the school directory and check with the children's parents that it is okay if they stay for dinner and then order pizza?" Oliver nods his.

"Certainly Mrs. Isles." When he turns to make the phone calls the smile returns.

Constance cannot help be curious as to who Maura calls her friends. By the sounds of it, it is more than her daughter and Jane playing in her room. Her eyes widen when she finds half a dozen children, Maura included running around her room. She spots her daughter and finds her smiling her face a little red from playing. The whole group seems to be playing a game where the group is trying to save Maura's favorite doll from a group of imaginary bad guys. She watches them play for a few seconds before knocking softly and entering the room.

The children stop playing at once and the noise level dies away.

"Mother!" Maura calls out surprised and happy. Maura quickly smooths out her clothes and stand straighter.

"Hello my dear. I was hoping to surprise you by having dinner together tonight but it seems you have surprised me." Maura smiles softly at the group of children in her room.

"These are Jane and my friends." Maura says proudly. She points to two familiar looking boys.

"These are Jane's brother's Frankie and Tommy." Both say hello to Constance before Maura moves on. "This is Barold Frost."

"Maura!" The little boy squeaks his eyes wide.

"But he prefers to be called Barry." Maura adds quickly. The little boy says hello as well although slightly embarrassed.

"I think Barold is a fine name. Constance looks to the little boy. He smiles and puffs up a little with pride.

"And that is Susie Chang." Maura finishes. Constance would have missed the quiet little girl's hello had she not been paying attention.

"It is nice to meet you all. I have phoned all your parents and they have agreed to let you all stay for dinner. There is pizza just downstairs.

"Pizza! The boys and Jane yell in excitement. Tommy does not wait for instruction before her runs out of the room and lets the smell of pizza guide him. Frankie and Barry run to follow Tommy but seem to catch themselves and slow themselves to a very fast walk. Jane shakes her head.

"Can't take them anywhere." Constance laughs thoroughly amused and escorts the girls down to the dining room.

Although Constance eats with the children she opts to eat a salad instead. She is surprised and pleased when Maura decides to eat the same as her mother. Even among Jane's cries of but Maura its pizza!

The he conversation soon turns to talks about Halloween costumes and Constance looks at Maura worriedly. Her daughter has never been. Neither herself nor her husband had the time before and she was not entirely sure she was okay with the concept.

"Maura what are you going to be?" Tommy asks pizza sauce on his checks.

"I don't know. I've never been."

"What?!" Jane cries in shock. "Oh Maura you have to go this year. You get dressed up as whatever you want and people give you free candy Maur! My mom takes us you can come with us. I know all the best candy houses." Maura turns to her mother as well as the rest of the children.

"Mother may I go please?" Constance contemplates her little girl and then looks at the table of children but mostly at Jane. She looks just as excited and hopeful as Maura. Since this little spitfire of a girl came into her daughter's life many things had been rapidly changing. She looks at her hopeful daughter's face and the table of children around them and finds she llkes the changes.

"Yes dear. We will go pick out a costume for you tomorrow." The children whoop in appreciation and Maura smiles brightly. The children's attention soon turns back to pizza and plans for Halloween costumes. Constance delights in hearing Maura talking excitedly about what costume she would like to get. It is a far cry from the choices of the other children but none of them bat an eye instead they encourage her daughter's choice. It almost brings Constance Isles to tears of happiness, almost.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N-Merry Christmas/ belated Hanukkah! I come bearing a gift. It is still Christmas where I live and I am still full of holiday cheer so I figured why not put up another chapter! We have one more chapter in this time frame and then we are time jumping to the girls in seventh grade Now without further I ado I give you chapter 3!

Maura stands in the foyer of the house dressed in white robes trimmed with gold. She has decided to go as Athena the Greek goddess of wisdom. Constance pinned Maura's hair up with a circle of yellow flowers. She also has a pillow case in hand. Both Constance and her father offered to buy her something different to collect candy with but Maura insisted that she wanted to use a pillowcase like the rest of her friends and Constance left it that.

Constance watches from afar as her husband comes down the stairs. He came home to see Maura off on her first trick or treating but would have to leave before Angela would pick their daughter up.

He had expressed his regret to Constance that they had not paid more attention to their child for the first six years of her life. They were both aware that they were both brought up by butlers and nannies and it is what they knew.

Constance had assured him that was something that they could change with Maura. He had even gone out of his way to buy the best candy that Constance would be giving out that night.

Maura hugs her father with promises to get as much candy as possible. When he releases her Maura begins to fuss over her costume Constance leans into her husband and kisses him on the cheek.

"Have a good trip dear,"

"Thank you darling. Have a good week." He glances back to Maura as she readjusts the flowers in her hair for the fifth time and smiles. "Make sure to take pictures."

Ten minutes after her husband leaves there is rapid knocking at the door. Constance opens the door to a smiling Jane dressed as a cop.

"Hi Mrs. C is Maura ready?"

"Hello Jane." Before she can complement Jane's costume Maura is at the door bright eyed.

It is the first time that Constance notices. Maura is too excited complimenting Jane's costume that she does not notice the way Jane smiles at her. Or the way that she listens to everything like it is the most important thing.

Constance almost feels like she no longer exists between the two girls even though she is standing on the threshold of the door. She does not give it a second thought when she sees Angela wave a greeting from the car. She quickly takes a picture of the two and watches until they get in the car and it is out of sight. This will not be the first time she notices how Jane looks at her daughter and no one least of all Jane and Maura will realize the meaning for years to come.

The kids are hyper even without candy. They are into their first hour of trick or treating and all the kids have had a chance to consume a fair amount of candy and are now shooting up and down blocks far faster than Angela. She has given up trying to keep up and allowed the kids to go up one side of the block and down the other. She has always been one to take a lot of pictures but she doubles those efforts this year since it is Maura's first Halloween.

Two hours later she herds the exhausted children into the van. When she looks in the rear view mirror she finds that all the kids have fallen asleep. Jane and Maura sit next to each other their heads inclined towards each other and their hands clasped together. Angela smiles and takes one more picture.

It is a year of many first for the Isles family. They have their first family Thanksgiving dinner. Previous years had been spent working or attending charity functions. They spend their first Christmas together as well. They accept an invitation to the Rizzoli household for Christmas Eve and for the first time that Maura can remember she wakes up Christmas day to her parents making breakfast.

Constance splurges on all the gifts she buys for Maura's friends. She buys each child including Maura a custom made bike. Six bikes wait in the Isles" living room Christmas evening. The bikes are in each child's favorite color complete with license plates that read each child's name. A helmet matching the color of the bike hangs off a handle bar on each bike. She is not prepared for the screams of delight when the children see their gifts. The children's excitement over the bikes doesn't begin to die down until March.

April brings Maura's seventh birthday and Constance finds she is not the only one worried about putting together the first birthday party her daughter will have in her life. She finds Jane in the living room deep in thought about a week before Maura's birthday.

"Hello Jane." The little girl looks up and smiles.

"Hi Mrs. C"

"You know Maura won't be back from her lesson for another hour."

"I know. Ollie let me in. I needed some time to think about a present for Maur." Constance smiles at the nickname Jane has given the butler.

"You know I could use some help planning Maura's birthday party. Perhaps if you help me with that I could help you with a birthday present." Jane smiles wide.

"Sounds like a plan Mrs. C."

Jane turns out to a bigger help then she had anticipated. The little girl is not afraid to voice her opinions about what she thinks Maura will and won't like. At one point Constance is unsure of some of the choices they are making for the party. Jane looks her straight in her eye and with a confidence beyond her years manages to calm Constance's nerves.

"Trust me Mrs. C I wouldn't steer you wrong." Constance feels oddly comforted by the words out of the mouth of a babe. Oddly enough she does trust the bright eyed little girl.

It takes them 45 minutes to plan the party but when they are finished both adult and child are confident in the party plans. Jane is about to run off to Maura's room when Constance stops her intent on keeping up her end of the deal.

"Maura loves her friends especially you. If you are going to get her anything it should be something about her and her friends." Jane smiles and nods.

"Thanks Mrs.C."

"You're welcome dear." She watches Jane leave the room and then looks down at the table filled with notes for the party. There are big X's through the things Jane was adamant Maura would not like and circles around the things Jane knows Maura would like. Constance smiles and shakes her head. What an extraordinary child she thinks.

Constance watches as Maura carefully rips the wrapping paper from Jane's gift. She laughs when the dark haired girl rolls her eyes. Jane had been encouraging her daughter to rip off the paper a little faster for every gift but Maura isn't having it. Constance finds that just like she took Jane's advice the party the little girl has taken her advice on a present as well. Maura shows everyone a photo album filled with pictures of her and her friends. It is irrational but Constance feels a little sad that there is none of Maura with her of her father.

She jumps slightly when she feels Jane next to her.

'I couldn't find any pictures of you and Mr. J with Maura."

"That's quite all right dear." Constance does her best to keep the hurt out of her voice. Jane taps her hand and when she looks over Jane shows her a small camera.

"The last two pages are empty. One for a picture with you , Maura and Mr. J and one for a picture of all of us. Constance smiles at the little girl.

"Sounds like a plan." Constance replies.

Maura looks ecstatic sitting between her parents as Angela takes their picture. Her father had come in specifically for her birthday but Constance notices she looks even happier when everyone gathers around, her parents included for the group picture. Oliver and Julia are even corralled into the picture.

Angela sets the timer on the camera and just before the camera takes the picture Maura squeezes Jane's hand in excitement. When the picture is developed everyone is smiling at the camera. Everyone but Jane, she's smiling at Maura.

A/N- I hope you are smiling at the thought of that image because that is exactly what I was going for! Happy Holidays everyone!


	4. Chapter 4

A/N-This is it ladies and gents. This is the last chapter the girls will be in second grade. The next chapters will take place in either 7th or 8th grade. I am not sure yet. Although I am open to suggestions on what grade you guys would prefer. Now without further ado I give you chapter 4

"Mother!" Constance jumps up from her desk when she hears Maura scream for her. Her normally calm demeanor turns into panic when she is unable to locate her daughter. She sighs in relief when she sees Maura running down the hall to her. That relief is short lived when she sees her in tears. Without thinking Constance scoops her little girl up into her arms and is surprised at how easily she has fallen into the role of attentive mother. She rubs her daughter's back in an attempt to soothe her.

"What's wrong darling?"

"It's Jane." Maura cries. Constance tenses fearing something has happened to the little girl.

"Mr. Rizzoli is sick and no one knows why." Maura takes a deep breath as she struggles to breathe overcome with emotion.

"Jane is afraid she is going to lose her dad and upset she's too little to help with money." Maura begins to cry again in earnest. "Jane cried today." She looks up at Constance with tears streaming down her eyes and it breaks Constance's heart to see her daughter in so much pain. Maura sniffs and buries her face in her mother's chest. "Jane never cries." It's muffled but Constance hears it as she runs her hand through her daughter's hair. She thinks of Jane and her brothers and the thought that a child should worry about money due to such an unfortunate circumstance upsets the older woman. She knows she wants to help but first her daughter.

"Listen to me dear." Maura looks at her mother eyes still full of tears. "Mrs . Rizzoli is a smart and strong woman. I have no doubt she will figure out what to do while Mr. Rizzoli gets better. Do you believe in Mrs. Rizzoli?" Maura nods her head without hesitation. "Good" Constance nods agreeing with her daughter. "You just be there for Jane and be the friend she needs okay?" Maura nods again.

Although the hysterical crying has stopped there are still tears coming down Maura's face. Constance brings her little girl into her lap and runs her hands through Maura's hair. Before long she finds that the little girl has fallen asleep. Gently she carries Maura to the sofa and lays her down. As soon as she is sure Maura is settled she heads for the phone.

Angela hands Jane a glass of water and some aspirin. She watches as her eldest child carries both into the next room where her husband is lying on the couch.

She had overheard Jane tell Maura about her father's headaches and nausea. She listened as her daughter expressed concern about the coming school year and if they would be able to afford school supplies. Jane had been upset that she was not old enough to get a paper route having just turned eight to help out. And then she heard Jane cry.

It was at this point that Angela decided she would interrupt the conversation and comfort her daughter but just as she was about to enter the room she found Maura sitting beside her daughter. She was holding Jane's hand and had her head rested against Jane's. Every instinct Angela had demanded she comfort her child but something stopped. A gut feeling as she watched the two girls. Maura was whispering to Jane words that Angela could not hear. Her daughter was already beginning to clam. Angela fought her instincts because her intuition told her that her daughter was in good hands. The thought made Angela happy and sad at the same time.

Angela is mulling the situation over trying to figure out her ease at putting so much tryst in a seven year old when the phone rings.

"Hello"

"Hello Angela this is Constance. I hope I didn't call you at a bad time." Angela smiles at the irony.

"Not at all."

"I do apologize for calling so late but Maura came to me earlier in hysterics. I hope you don't mind but she told me your husband was sick and unable to work."

"Yes" Angela replies trying to keep her emotions in check. "He has been having severe headaches, nausea, and dizzy spells. He's been to the hospital and had tests but they aren't sure what is going on."

"I truly am very sorry to hear that. Things must be tight I imagine." Angela sighs. There is no point in denying it.

"Yeah but we will manage." Constance clears her throat and takes a deep breathe.

"I hope this isn't too presumptuous of me but I have a colleague looking for a caterer for various events. I remembered you magnificent skill and I really feel you would be perfect for the job." Angela wipes at her eyes as tears of joy overcome her.

"I would love to." Angela whispers overcome by emotion. Her fears over how she would send three young children back to school with little money had weighed on her heavily.

"Fantastic! I'll call him right now and let him know you are interested."

"Thank you Constance." Angela says quietly into the phone.

"Think nothing of it." Constance replies.

It is Angela's third event. She has chased the kids outside to play when she hears the back door slam.

"I told you guys to go out and play. This is a big event and I don't need you guys trying to "taste test" everything." Angela says with a hint of sarcasm.

"Oh come on Ma we are just trying to help the best way we know how." Angela turns to find a smiling Jane sitting on a chair watching her. Angela points a sauce covered spoon at her daughter.

"If you don't go out and play I won't make cannolis for three months." Jane's eyes widen before she puts her hands up.

"I'm here to help Ma." Jane replies innocently. Angela eyes her daughter suspiciously and Jane does her best to look sweet and innocent, she fails. Even so Angela decides to take her daughter up on the offer.

"Okay, go wash your hands." Jane smiles big and runs to the kitchen sink to wash her hands. To Angela's surprise and delight her daughter turns out to be a natural cook and although they seem to butt heads in almost everything else in the kitchen Angela and Jane work together in sync.

There are a few times Angela show Jane how to do something and her little girl dosen't do it quite to her standards that she would step in in spite of Jane's protests and a few eye rolls in frustration. However, those are very few and Angela admires the skill of her eldest child.

When they finish Angela puts an arm around her daughter and gives her squirming daughter a hug.

"Ah come on Ma!" Jane manages to wiggle away after a few seconds. She makes her way to the back door to catch up with her brothers but before she does she looks back and gives her mom a smile before running out the door.

After that Jane helps her mother with every catering event possible and they become quite the team. Angela never tells Jane but it gives her a certain sense of pride to be able to pass down a skill to her only daughter.

Just before the start of school Frank starts to feel better. All his symptoms slowly begin to subside. More tests are done and still the doctors cannot tell them what was wrong. He returns to work and for the first time the Rizzoli household becomes a two income family.

Angela drops her children off on the first day of school. Each child loaded with new supplies. She watches Frankie and Tommy run to the jungle gym but not Jane. She watches the black car carrying Maura pull up to the school. Oliver gets out to open the door but Jane beats him to it. He smiles and watches Jane help Maura out of the car before getting back in himself.

Angela watches her daughter light up at the presence of the smaller girl and notices Maura look at Jane with admiration in her eyes. It warms Angela's heart that Jane has made a friend with the same loyalty that her daughter possesses. Maura grabs her daughter's hand and Angela watches as Jane and Maura start third grade side by side.

A/N-I would like to thank everyone for all the reviews and love that I have received for this story! I am kind of on a roll with writing this story plus I am taking a break from my other story and the love I am getting from this fic is gearing me up to return to my other one.

Shout out to Sora Yagami for leaving me a review that quite honestly left me all warm and fuzzy!


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